Towson lawyer hired in complaint against Harford sheriff

A Towson lawyer confirmed yesterday that she is representing a female employee of the Harford County Sheriff's Office who has filed a complaint against the sheriff.

Kathleen Cahill, a lawyer in private practice, declined to comment in detail about the complaint, saying, "It's not an appropriate time as her counsel to comment in any depth in the press. There are investigations under way, and I wouldn't want to do anything that could interfere with the integrity of those processes."

Sheriff Joseph P. Meadows said this week that he would remain out of the office on paid leave until the complaint is resolved.

Neither the sheriff's office nor the complainant's attorney would characterize the nature of the complaint.

Col. Thomas Golding, the chief deputy of the Harford office who has assumed day-to-day operations, turned the investigation over to Howard County police Feb. 10 to avoid any conflict of interest, a spokeswoman said.

Meadows, 42, a former prosecutor with the Harford County state's attorney's office, was elected sheriff in 1994.